By Tracey Khan – Drakes
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The worst fears of a Diamond, East Bank Demerara family were confirmed after a visit to the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour, when they identified the body of their youngest family member lying lifeless on a stretcher.
Twenty-six year-old Micheal Gardener Moore started working at the mining camp in Mowasi, Potaro, Region 8 since January 04 in search of a better life for himself and family.
The young man was among 17 others trapped under mud and rubble when the mining pit they were working on caved in on Sunday, May 17. While seven of the miners managed to make it out alive, Moore was among the 10 that perished.
Hi brother, Randy Wilson told reporters that even after they were told what occurred, they remained hopeful that Moore was still alive.
“Because some of them save, so we were hoping that he was one of them saved.”
“We heard that he was in a pit, a pit that was 90 feet down and it caved in on all of them, which in that’s very dangerous and the stuff that they take out the pit, they didn’t really move it away, they had it right there so it was very careless, cause my brother-in-law went in and see it and he said it was a suicide scene.”
The grieving brother said Moore’s lost is a big blow to the family since they were all close knitted.
“It’s very hard because he was very close to us, we all lived as one with real love, and we don’t know how we will deal with this cause all of us lived loving.”
Meanwhile, Lubena Green lost her brother and children father. They have been identified as 17 -year-old Raymond August and the father of her children, Demond Martin.
She added that this is a major disaster for her family.
![The mining pit where the accident occurred. [Photo compliments of the GGDMA]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mining-pit.jpg)
Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Rickford Vieira has confirmed that thus far the bodies of six miners have been recovered from the mining pit at Mowasi Backdam.
Efforts will continue today, May 19 to recover the bodies of the remaining four miners. Natural Resource Minister Designate Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine told iNews that he does not believe any proper safety practices were being employed by the miners.
risk high yes but propa precations would prevented this horrible tragedy if the owner wasn’t all about greed and money and thiefing what isnt his. he should go to jail
May God give the family’s the strength to bear the loss of there love. Ones May there sole rest in peace
This is too much to fathom. May God accept their souls and the families fins closure at some time. I grieve for these hard working men.
My heart felt symphathy goes out to de family of those who perished in that cruel tragedy on sunday. I hope in de future de owners of those mining operation will seek to impliment proper safety measures, because no amount of money can bring back those that lost their lives.
Condolences to these families – one can only imagine the pain. Truly a tragedy. Poor occupational health and safety standards (if any) have always astounded me when persons venture into those remote areas in search of a better livelihood. The risks are so high – makes you wonder if it is worth your life. Hopefully this incident serves as an eye opener – even if one works in the backdam/bush, our EMPLOYEES need to be taken care of, whether through appropriate benefits, monetary compensation, health and safety needs, commuting safely…and the list goes on. Sad.
May God be with these families as they try to accept this tragedy and give them all the strength to move on. Prayers from all around Guyana are with you all regardless of race color or creed. God be with you all.